


5 times Mike gave Will secret notes + 1 time he signed his name

by wandering_soul_with_a_writing_goal



Series: That would be a great love story [1]
Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: Aged-Up Character(s), M/M, Post-Canon, Secret Admirer
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-02
Updated: 2020-06-02
Packaged: 2021-03-04 05:27:27
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,517
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24508405
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wandering_soul_with_a_writing_goal/pseuds/wandering_soul_with_a_writing_goal
Summary: Dear Will,I like you.-Your Secret AdmirerUmm, what?No. No way. Will couldn’t believe it. He refused to believe it.Still, he couldn’t help smiling like an idiot.
Relationships: Will Byers & The Party, Will Byers/Mike Wheeler
Series: That would be a great love story [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1772929
Comments: 10
Kudos: 92





	5 times Mike gave Will secret notes + 1 time he signed his name

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks so much to @eraseyourbookofstories for helping me revise this!!
> 
> Okay, so I got _some _of the italics to work.__
> 
> Edit: I think I fixed it! But idk why it's so spaced out! Well, enjoy!

5 times Mike gave Will secret notes and one time he signed his name

**1.**

It was Friday, the last day before Christmas Break. Thank god. Will felt like he’d never been so ready for a break from school.

The Party had made plans to hang out at Mike’s after school today, but Will decided he was going to leave early so that he could go home, change into comfy PJs, lie down on his bed, and sketch while listening to the new mixtape Jonathan made for him. A perfect afternoon.

The bell rang, signalling the end of the day. Will was the first one to leave the classroom. He felt like he was on autopilot as he walked to his locker and opened it… when an index card fluttered out.  _ Huh, what’s that? _ He didn’t have any index cards that he knew of-- he was more of a post-it notes kind of person.

Will bent down to grab it, and stood quickly, wanting to read it.

_ Dear Will, _

_ I like you. _

_ -Your Secret Admirer _

Umm, what?

No. No way. Will couldn’t believe it. He refused to believe it.

Still, he couldn’t help smiling like an idiot.

The handwriting looked oddly familiar, but he couldn’t quite place it. But it didn’t matter. All that mattered was that someone out there  _ liked  _ him. They wrote it, in their own words. And it had  _ Will’s _ name on it, so there’s no way it was placed in the wrong locker.

Will was still grinning in disbelief at the slip of paper when his friends approached. “Hey, Will.” Lucas said. Will quickly but carefully put the index card in his backpack while replying, “Hey, Lucas.” Will saw Dustin, Max, and Mike out of the corner of his eye.

“You guys ready for the par-tay?” Dustin moved his arms in some sort of dance as he spoke, making Will chuckle.

“What the hell was that?” Max asked, trying to keep a straight face.

“What do you mean, what was that? It was my sick moves!”

“Dustin, I swear you did not just say  _ sick moves. _ ”

Lucas started walking away, saying to Will and Mike, “I don’t know about you, but I’m gonna escape while I still can.” Dustin and Max followed, still bantering.

“I’m just telling it like it is. Sick moves.”

“Sure, stalker.”

Will zipped up his backpack and slung it over his shoulder. As he closed his locker, he realized that Mike was still there, waiting for him.

Will felt a wave of appreciation for his best friend. Even the simple things, like waiting behind for him, made Will feel like the most special person in the world. Even though these were just acts of friendship, nothing more, Will felt so  _ loved _ whenever Mike did something nice for him.

He looked up at Mike, who looked back down at him, expression different than usual. Will could see through Mike’s brown eyes that he was preoccupied. 

“What’s wrong, Mike?”

Mike hesitated, then shook his head. “Nothing. Let’s go.” He always spoke in that special, soft voice to Will, which made his stomach fill with butterflies and warmed his cheeks. 

Will looked at him, concerned. Mike smiled at him, which Will took at a sign that either he was okay or he didn’t want to talk about it. It was likely the latter. The Wheelers were famous for being able to hide their feelings.

But Will didn’t push the matter. He closed his locker and started walking, feeling Mike’s presence next to him. Thinking about the boy next to him, and  _ the note… _

* * *

**2.**

Ugh. Will didn’t realize how much school  _ sucked _ until he’d had a whole two weeks of from it. A week after school had started again, he was sitting in class, bored out of his skull. And he didn’t even have Mike in this class to pass him notes and smile at him, while Will would stare and--

The bell rang.  _ Finally. _ He walked out of his last class slowly, dragging his feet, eager to get out of there but too tired to move any faster. His mom was picking him up today, so there was no reason to rush.

It took a good three tries for Will to open his locker. He didn’t even remember the numbers at this point to be honest; it was all muscle memory. As it clicked open, an index card fell out. He snatched it out ot the air before it could flit to the ground.

_ Will, _

_ I still like you. A lot. _

_ Happy new year! _

_ Not to be cheesy, but did it hurt when you fell from heaven? _

_ -Your Secret Admirer _

Will had forgotten about his so-called “secret admirer”. Of course, he hadn’t really forgotten. During the whole two weeks of Christmas Break, Will was running the text of the note through his head, telling himself  _ I have a secret admirer.  _ And smiling.

And now there was another note to gush over. And overthink about.

It was the same card. The same handwriting. But the words were different. Better. Flirty. Will liked it, even though he himself could not flirt for the life of him.

Will separated himself from the note, remembering that he was at school, and that the janitors weren’t paid enough to mop up the puddle Will was becoming. He put the note away, grabbed his backpack, closed his locker, and--

Mike.

Will tried not to be hopeful. But, of course, there was a small part of him that  _ really _ really wanted it to be Mike who was writing the notes. He wanted it to be Mike who was secretly in love with him. That would be a great love story, Will thought.

Now, Mike stood only a foot or two in front of him. “Hey,” Mike said. “Wanna walk together?”

Trying to control his blush, Will nodded. “I’m being picked up today.”

Mike nodded. “I know. Ready?” Again, Mike Wheeler with the soft voice! Now Will was really about to turn into a puddle. The janitors deserved a raise.

Will nodded, and the two walked away, Will thinking of the anonymous person who liked him, and his own crush, and all the things he wished could happen.

* * *

**3.**

“Happy Valentine’s Day!” Will groaned as his mother turned on the lights in his room. “I made pancakes!”

It was hard for Will to motivate himself to wake up. It was always hard, but today was Valentine’s Day, which was really just a reminder that Will didn’t have a date. Unless the secret-admirer had something up their sleeve, which Will did secretly hope for.

The more he thought about it, the more anxious he felt, so he got up and ate quickly, eager to get to school. He decided to let his mom drive him. He didn’t want to show up to school sweaty and exhausted, even if there was no one to impress.

When he arrived at his locker, he opened it after one try, waiting for a paper to flit out. But nothing happened. He tried to hide his disappointment, biting his lip and putting his backpack in the locker.  _ Of course _ no one would get him anything. Not even someone who liked him, he supposed.

Then it hit him. Candy grams.

At Hawkins High, you could buy a Candy Gram for a dollar and have it delivered to anyone. They would be handed out during first hour.

With the antsy excitement back, Will hurried to his Homeroom. Mike and Dustin were both in the same class as him. He sat at his desk, feeling annoyed at Mr. Collins for not letting them pick their own seats. He saw Mike talking to a girl on the other side of the room, and couldn’t help rolling his eyes.

The bell rang, and class started.

After the morning announcements, Mr. Collins drawled on for about three minutes before Jennifer Hayes walked into the room. “Sorry, Mr. Collins. Candy Grams.” He nodded and continued to talk as Jennifer walked around the room, handing out heart-shaped lollipops with notes attached.

Mike got three. Will wasn’t surprised. It was easy to fall for him. Will knew from first hand experience.

Jennifer kept handing them out. There were only three left. Will looked down at his desk, feeling stupid for hoping… 

And then Will felt something drop on his desk.

A candy gram.

_ To: Will Byers _

_ From: Your Secret Admirer _

_ Happy Valentine’s Day! Remember how amazing you are today. A few things I like about you: _

  * _You’re adorable_


  * You’re a great artist


  * You’re incredibly kind.



The note sent a burst of butterflies through Will. He bit his lip to control his smiling. All of his anxiety about the situation washed away as he traced the edges of the note with his hand, rereading it once more.

Will looked over to Mike without really knowing why. He was reading the candy grams on his own desk, not looking particularly interested in them. Will looked down again before Mike caught him staring.

Well, maybe he could narrow it down from the list. Anyone could point out his appearance, but not many people knew he was an artist. Even if they saw him sketching, they wouldn’t be able to note whether he was a  _ good _ artist… Unless it was either his friend or someone in his art class.

Will felt eyes on him. He looked up, and the class chuckled.

“I repeat, earth to Will Byers.”

Shit. Attendance.

“Oh. Here.” He felt his face warm in embarrassment as he looked down.

He looked up and felt a sympathetic look from Mike.

His  _ friend _ , and  _ only _ his friend, Mike.

* * *

**4.**

The Party was bored. They were in AV club, but the teacher (Mrs. Elliotson) was in the “copy room”, and last time she disappeared there, she didn’t come back. Probably doing drugs, or with a guy, the party had speculated.

“Ugh, I’m so  _ bored. _ ” Max dropped down from the table she was sitting on. “Has anything interesting happened to anyone?”

They shook their heads.

“Any word from that secret admirer, Will?” Dustin raised his eyebrows at him, in such a Dustin way. 

Oh yeah. That. They probably didn’t like him anymore, anyway. Will had told the party about the candy gram, but that was over a month ago. People could change. Crushes could change. Except for his crush on Mike, which was seemingly never going away.

“Uh. No.”

Mike spoke, and Will shifted his full attention to him. “Well, you never know. Maybe you’ll get another note.”

Will sighed. “Maybe. It would be nice to know someone likes me. It would boost my confidence, at least.” He said the last sentence in a joking way, but it really was true. More true than he wanted to admit.

“Who do you think it is?” Lucas inquired.

Will chuckled. “Good question.”

“I bet it’s Jennifer Hayes.” Dustin made the Dustin-face again, eyebrows raised, suggesting something.

Will shook his head. “No way. She doesn’t even know I exist.” Before Dustin could talk again, he said “I  _ know _ she was crying at my funeral. So? I would cry if one of my classmates died.”

“Mmhm. Sure.”

The 3:00 bell rang, signalling the end of most clubs and activities. Will walked to his locker and opened it.

An index card fell.

He grabbed it, surprised that this was happening again.

_ Dear Will, _

_ I haven’t forgotten to write to you. I’ve just been busy. Sorry. _

_ I’ve liked you for so long. I wish I could tell you that in person. Well, maybe some day…  _

_ I love talking to you. I love  _ being _ with you. Whenever I see you, it brightens my day. Whenever you smile, I feel happy. _

_ Sincerely, _

_ Your Secret Admirer. _

Will felt his breath catch.

He reread the note, barely believing that he was reading about himself.

It was like the writer was  _ trying _ to make Will feel like a living bubble. He felt like he was filling up, floating to the sky. The words in the note filled him with warmth, confidence and pride. Someone liked him for him. Ordinary as Will felt he was, someone still  _ liked  _ that. No, more than just “liked”.

_ I love talking to you. I love  _ being _ with you. _

The word “love” was used.

No way was this some random kid crushing on him. It had to be someone he was close to. Someone he  _ knew _ and saw every day.

Will went through the list in his head.

He only knew a few girls, Max and El being the closest. El was homeschooled, so she was out. He talked to a few girls in art class, but that was only when they started the conversation. Hmm, there was Sophie, Angela, and Emma… 

Unless it wasn’t a girl. Which was what he really hoped.

Remembering that he was in school, Will packed up the note, still trying to solve it as he left his locker, found his bike, and rode home… 

* * *

**5.**

The final bell rang, and Will found his locker. The last two weeks he had been non-stop thinking about his secret admirer, and the most recent note. The note that was so incredibly personal. The note that had Will wondering  _ who  _ wrote it.

Will had been paying close attention to all of his interactions, every conversation, every smile from across the hall. From the gossip with his art friends, to working on a science project with his lab partner, Will was so much more present.

He also payed closer attention when talking to Mike, but it probably wasn’t helpful, as he’d just been more closely noticing Mike’s eyes, and his cheekbones, and his nose, and his freckles, and lips--

But. Mike  _ did  _ seem to let go when talking to him.

_ Come on, that’s normal. You’ve been talking with him like that for years! _

But then again, the note did say: 

_ I’ve liked you for so long. _

No. Don’t have hope. It’s not him.

Every day since the last note, he’d been opening his locker with anxious anticipation. But there was no fluttering index card. He prepared himself for disappointment as he entered his combination and clicked it open and--

A card. A white notecard.

Will smiled before he could stop himself. He grabbed the paper, this time feeling it before he turned it over to read what was on the other side. He sniffed it, then immediately regretted it. Hoping no one was watching, he turned over the paper.

_ Hey Will, _

_ It’s me again. _

_ I’m not a girl. _

_ -Secret Admirer _

_ P.S. Sorry if you’re disappointed. _

The first thought to cross Will’s mind was:  _ What are the odds? _

No, Will was not disappointed. He actually raised his eyebrows, surprised at his luck. Will did not like girls… but the one who liked him wasn’t a girl.

Which meant he might like this person, too. He might find love.

And this filled Will with such an energy, such joy, that he had to physically stop himself from (fist bumping the air).

This note had clearly been written in a rush. Again, the handwriting was oddly familiar. But he couldn’t put a name to it… 

_ Oh shit.  _ Will was riding the bus today.

He quickly gathered his stuff and left, charismatically saluting Mike as he passed. Not even regretting it, because everything was good. Will wasn’t alone.

* * *

**+1**

“You think anyone’s gonna ask you to the dance?” Dustin asked. The morning announcements had just reminded everyone that the Spring Flowers Dance was coming up on Friday. Mr. Collins had finally moved seats, and Will was next to Dustin.

Will was so deep in thought, it took a second for him to even register that Dustin was talking. He’d been thinking about it, wondering if the not-a-girl secret admirer was going to say anything about it. Probably not. Especially since it was not a girl. How would that look? High schoolers were mean people, and Will for one wasn’t ready to be seen and outed.

“Uhm. I doubt it.”

Dustin wasn’t taking it. “Oh, come on. What about your secret admirer?”

Will shook his head. “You don’t understand. It’s…” He lowered his voice. “It’s not a girl.”

Will watched the shock register on Dustin’s face, with a bit of confusion and some disgust. “Oh. I’m sorry Will.”

“No, you don’t understand. I don’t  _ mind _ . But even if he-- Well, imagine if I was seen dancing with someone who’s  _ not a girl. _ ”

Dustin’s face relaxed, and he nodded. “Oh. That sucks. Well, maybe you’ll get another note soon, at least.” Will nodded before their conversation was stopped by Mr. Collins, and it was back to business as usual.

\---

The day seemed to last an eternity. Will couldn’t wait to get home, flop on his bed, and jam to The Clash. As the bell rang and he walked out of the classroom, he was already playing a song in his head.

He noticed Mike ahead of him, passing the lockers near his. Will smiled at him, but Mike didn’t even look at him. Will worried that he’d done something wrong, but pushed the thought away. Mike  _ never _ got mad at him, no matter what Will did. Why would that change now?

He got to his locker and tried to open it. It didn’t.  _ Shoot. _ He tried two more times, before he realized he was at the wrong locker. Oops.

Click. His locker opened. And, just like it had before, a piece of paper flitted to the ground. Only this was bigger than before. An envelope. It fell faster than the cards before, and Will had to bend down to the floor to grab it.

On the front was his name, written in the same handwriting he’d gotten to know. The handwriting that seemed oddly familiar, yet out of place. The way his name was written was  _ almost _ enough for Will to place who had written it… But he couldn’t get it.

Will started to open it before stopping himself.  _ You can read it when you get home, silly. _

Instead of putting the envelope in his backpack like the other notes, he kept it close to him, holding it in his hands. He didn’t have a clue how he was going to bike home while holding it, but he really had to keep it close. This envelope seemed different. Important. Even though it was  _ extremely  _ unlikely that it would fall out of his backpack, Will didn’t want to take the chance.

As he walked to his bike, he passed Mike, again. Will grinned at Mike as greeting, but Mike just froze in fear. Fear? What would he be scared of? Mike’s expression relaxed, and he awkwardly waved. Weird.

Will managed the bike home by holding the envelope in his teeth (as uncomfortable as it was). He got home and practically sprinted to his room, tearing open the letter.

It said:

_ Will. _

_ Um, hey Will. This is like, my third time writing this. I keep getting distracted by my stupid sister and her pathetic flirting attempts (which is a lame excuse, but come on, how hard is it to keep it down when you’re literally just eating Peach Cobbler?) Anyway, you know who I am now. No more secrets. Well, maybe you don’t know yet. My name is on this letter. Well, it will be. Or maybe you knew from the first note, because my awful handwriting was a dead giveaway. I tried to make it neater  _ _ for you _ _. _

_ I’m actually really scared and stressed. I wish there was an easier way to tell you this. _

_ Well, you already know most of it. Hopefully you remember it from the other notes. I know you kept them. You always keep everything. You tuck it away, keep it safe. You’re a hoarder. Especially with notes, letters, things with words. _

_ All this note will give you is my name. _

_ No more keeping it a secret. I’m not going to overwhelm you with my thoughts, even though I feel like I could write a whole novel. I’m just going to sign my name. _

_ Love, _

_ Mike. _

Mike.

It’s Mike.

_ It has to be a different Mike. _ But no. Too many pieces fit. The handwriting, the things in the notes, everything. . The only thing that didn’t fit was Mike liking boys. Liking  _ him. _

Will was so shocked that he had to sit down. He couldn’t control his smile, his blush, or the happy butterflies.

_ It’s Mike. _

Will felt like he was in a dream. This couldn’t be real.

After a few minutes of processing it in his head, a thought occurred to turn over the paper. So, Will flipped it over, not really expecting anything.

_ If you’re not too weirded out, I’d love to go to the Spring Flowers Dance with you. We’d be safe, and, well, I’ve always kinda wanted to. _

Will already knew the answer. After the initial shock, being with Mike felt like second nature. It had always been him and Mike.  _ Always _ .

Will grabbed a post-it note from his desk and wrote one word, not caring about how rushed his handwriting was.

_ Yes. _


End file.
